And please note - this Sunday we paused and thanked Pastor Stanley for his ongoing service!

And for the week ahead, we remember: “Prayer of Faith” Throughout scripture God promises that if we pray and seek Him fully, we will find Him. As a community ofbelievers we know that there is power in prayer. Praying for one another is an important part of the community. Having a place to share your prayer requests and pray for others is an important part of growing and strengthening your faith. The prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Change happens and though fear is there, we need not let it control us or hold us back, paralyzing us in its grasp. God’s words are “life” words, soothing to your soul, calming to your spirits,giving power to your days. It’s not always easy, and it often comes down to a choice:

Choosing not to allow fear and anxiety to control your life. Choosing to guard your heart. Choosing to focus your mind on what is truth in the midst of uncertain times.

And remember: We might still feel afraid, but we can believe that God is with us. We may not be in control, but we can trust the One who is. We may not know the future, but we can know the God who does.

Jesus teaches us that prayer is one of the most important Christian activities. Like Jesus, through prayer and daily Bible reading we maintain an intimate walk with our Savior and lay thefoundation for success in other spiritual activities, ensuring victory in the struggle against Satan. Through His Word and prayer we can understand His will and plan for our lives. We are told to renew our minds that we may stand against the wiles of the devil. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need(Heb. 4:16).

For the days ahead, consider An Abundant Life:Jesus promised an abundant life, but also told us there is an enemy plotting our downfall:“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)

Our enemy, the “thief,” is also a liar, always twisting the truth. So while Jesus promised an abundant life, Satan spins it so we think that life is found in an abundance of activity andcommitments.

Only too late do we realize that life steals from us what’s best … room to breathe, focus, and space in our schedules to fulfill our God given priorities. The abundant life Jesus offers isn’t filled with to-do’s. Tasks satisfy from the outside in, never reaching the core of who we are. Jesus satisfies from the inside out, as we experience the depth of His love, purpose and peace.

And don't forget to “Celebrate God’s Goodness to Others”You’ll enjoy life a whole lot more if you will learn to be happy over the successes of other people. If you’re only happy when things go well for you, you’re going to be miserable most of your life, because things won’t always go well for you or anybody else. But if you learn to be happy at other people’s successes and enjoy other people’s celebrations, you can be happy all the time.The people you have the hardest time seeing success in is your family and friends.

What are you going to do with Jesus, who is called Christ?You either accept Him as Lord and Savior of your life or you reject Him. If you choose to “think about it later", then you have rejected Christ. Do you understand the implication of choosing to reject Christ? If you continued to reject Christ as Savior, a split second after you pass from this world, unfortunately, at that point, it is too late. The consequences of that choice is not pleasant.Once we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, we must then decide how we will answer the question on a daily basis. That is . . .

“What shall I do , then, with Jesus who is called Christ?” Put Him in a ‘Sunday’ box and pull Him out when I go to church? Call Him when I’m in trouble? What if someone makes fun of me? What if I don’t fit in? Do I have the attitude of I don’t want to get involved? Remember Jesus' words in Matt.10:32 , “Whoever acknowledges me before men,I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.”